The International Cricket Council, released its Future Tours Programme calendar for 2023-2027 on August 18. One of the key takeaways from the release is the likeliness of the PSL clashing with IPL in 2025, a situation brought about by the packed home season in Pakistan.
Pakistan are set to host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 – their first ICC tournament since the 1996 World Cup, which was jointly held in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The Champions Trophy 2025 has forced the Pakistan Cricket Board to keep the March-May window for PSL 2025, while the IPL, with its extended window in the international calendar, is set to run from March to June.
The country has hosted top sides over the last three years after having not gotten a chance to host international cricket since 2009, owing to security-related issues in the country. They will now host all Full Member sides other than India in the FTP 2023-2027 cycle, with 13 of 27 Tests, 26 of 47 ODIs, and 27 of 56 T20Is to be played at home in the period. The Tests will be a part of the successive World Test Championship cycles.
The Men in Green currently sit fifth in the WTC 2023 table and stand a genuine chance to make to the finals next year with them playing each of their remaining five fixtures – three against England and two versus New Zealand – at home.
The packed schedule means that the PSL 2025 will clash with the IPL, and the 2026 edition will be played late in the year in December-January before the 2027 edition returns to its normal window in January-February.
“I am sure that our cricket fans will be delighted to know that top-ranked and attractive sides such as Bangladesh, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies will visit Pakistan to compete in matches for the ICC World Test Championship.
“Additionally, Afghanistan, Australia, Ireland and Zimbabwe will also tour Pakistan for the white-ball matches, which means 10 of the 12 ICC Full Members will play cricket in Pakistan during the four-year period. This is exciting,”
PCB chief executive Faisal Hasnain said in a statement.
In addition, the PCB will also host two tri-nation ODI series featuring South Africa and New Zealand in February 2025, and with England and Sri Lanka in 2026.
“We are also mindful that our sides must be provided with the best preparation opportunities so that they perform strongly in ICC competitions.”
“Furthermore, and in line with our vision for triangular ODI series to contribute in increasing excitement and attracting greater audiences, we have so far scheduled two tri-series in February 2025 and October/November 2026, involving New Zealand and South Africa, and England and Sri Lanka, respectively. This is also something for the fans to look forward to.
“The certainty and clarity around our home bilateral fixtures until 2027 provides us the platform to put together a robust commercial programme, so that we can optimise the exploitation of our commercial rights,”
Hasnain added.
